The Associated Press called it “almost farcical,” and I think that’s my favorite so far, “farcical” a word completely underutilized in sports journalism, at least now that the Rams are no longer coached by Jeff Fisher.

Biggest embarrassment in soccer? Sure. Absolutely. Everyone seems to agree on that, the Americans sealing their fate Tuesday with a staggering 2-1 loss to Trinidad and Tobago, a country – by population – smaller than San Antonio.

The U.S. could have advanced with just a tie, and raise your hand if you, too, were shocked by the result, if only because so many soccer games seem to end in ties.

But, come on, biggest in all of sports? I’m saying Roseanne Barr squealing the national anthem, grabbing her crotch and spitting before a Padres game was just slightly more embarrassing.

The USA Today story below that bold commentary began thusly: “It’s been 31 years since May 31, 1986 – the last World Cup that didn’t feature the United States.”

Of course, it’s easy to look past certain truths when blinded by the utter, world-class, almost farcical rage that has consumed this country since our boys bowed out in a game so otherwise forgettable that one estimate had only 1,000 in Trinidad even bothering to attend Tuesday.

Yes, people here are extremely upset that we failed to keep pace with nations such as Panama and Honduras, nations we all believe – when it comes to sports – we should pry off the bottom of our cleats like mud.

“This is an utter embarrassment,” former national team member Taylor Twellman said in one of the more pointed televised rants. “With the amount of money that is in Major League Soccer and that is in this sport, you can’t get a draw? A tie? Against Trinidad?”

Then Twellman delivered his finest zinger, a corner kick to the very groin of each individual remotely associated with the sport.

“If this failure does not wake up everyone,” he said with passion and a snarl, “…then we’re all insane!”

And, remember, everybody is riled up about soccer, a sport Americans have manically refused to embrace.

Imagine the amount of disgust if this were something we in the U.S. were really good at, something in which we took great national pride, like hot dog eating.

I don’t recall the outcry being this heartfelt, this raw when our men’s basketball team lost three times in the 2004 Summer Olympics. Basketball was invented in Massachusetts and perfected everywhere else in the States, right?

I mean, Allen Iverson, Tim Duncan and LeBron James couldn’t beat Puerto Rico, for crying out loud. If that’s not insane, I don’t know what is.

At least in soccer, we’re losing to countries in their sport, even if we have the resources available to field a team equivalent to the 1927 New York Yankees.

And that, frankly, is one of the best things about the U.S. in terms of soccer. For once, we aren’t the favorites. We’re the underdogs trying to prove we can hang.

Well, trying to prove we can hang when we actually make it into events like the World Cup, which will now happen without the U.S. but with Iceland.

“Waking up this morning and realizing that the Unites States men’s national team will not be involved in a World Cup next summer, it is devastating,” Alexi Lalas said on Fox Sports Radio. “It is disastrous.”

While using words like “devastating” and “disastrous” is unfortunate given some of the recent real events in this country, Lalas’ comments should remain in the proper context.

And his emotion is easily understandable, Lalas one of the most recognizable U.S. players ever.

Just last month, he did his best to ignite the Americans when he went on national television and called out the team for a lack of leadership and production.

He continued: “You are a soccer generation that has been given everything. You are a soccer generation who is on the verge of squandering everything. So, now it’s time to pay it back. Make us believe again. You don’t owe it to yourselves. You owe it to us.”

After a pause, Lalas added: “… and get off my lawn.”

It was all very true and very funny. Until Tuesday happened and everyone lost their sense of humor, not to mention their senses, in general.

Jeff Miller has been a sports columnist since 1998, having previously written for the Palm Beach Post, South Florida Sun-Sentinel and Miami Herald. He began at the Register in 1995 as beat writer for the Angels.